(ANSA) - Rome, March 30 - The Lower House Speaker's office on Thursday suspended 42 MPs from the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) for disrupting the work of parliament.
The office suspended 36 lawmakers who last week tried to break into the office in protest at a vote on 'vitalizi' parliamentary pensions for 15 days.
It described the incident as "unprecedented and extremely serious, constituting a serious attack... on the functioning of the institutions". Suspensions of 10-12 days were handed to 29 for protests on the floor of the House that led to the halting of a question-time session and a related live TV broadcast.
Some lawmakers got two suspensions.
M5S leader Beppe Grillo told M5S members Thursday it was time to to think of ruling Italy rather than just protesting. "Enough getting angry...let's think of agreed and commonsense ideas, it's time to imagine the future and make proposals." He said the M5S was "ready to take on the burden of government". Grillo said "we'll change this country together, our future is in your hands, our best minds, our most deeply felt passions". "Judgement say by the citizens will come," Grillo said, adding that "our programme is our priority" while for the ruling centre-left Democratic Party (PD) it was "like reality TV". The M5S, after a PD split, has overtaken it as Italy's top party and has a 3-5 point -lead in most polls.
M5S MPs suspended for Lower House mayhem
Group tried to break into Speaker's office